Center beam railroad car

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is an improved open freight carrying railroad car of the center beam type. In addition to a lightweight center sill and side sills, it has cross-bearers supporting the floor and a vertical center beam joined at its bottom to the center sill and extending longitudinally the length of the car between bulkheads at each end of the car. The center beam has a top structure for aiding in transferring compressive forces between the bulkheads, and for storing tie-down gear, having a wide substantially horizontal metal plate chord joined centrally to, and extending the length of, the top of the center beam, and a horizontal structural stiffening member joined to each edge of the wide chord and extending the length of the center beam. The stiffening members project upwardly to define opposing walls of a trough having the wide chord as the bottom. The wide chord and stiffening members resist compressive and lateral forces applied thereto in use of the car.

[ 11 3,734,031 May 22, 1973 ABSTRACT [S4] CENTER BEAM RAILROAD CAR Inventor: Ross W. Wagner, l-Iomewood, Ill.

[73] Asslgnee: Thrall Car Manuhcturing Disclosed is an improved open freight carrying railroad car of the center beam type. In addition to a lightweight center sill and side sills, it has crosspany, Chicago Heights, 111.

July 19, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 163,899

[22] Filed:

bearers supporting the floor and a vertical center beam joined at its bottom to the center sill and extending longitudinally the length of the car between bulkheads at each end of the car. The center beam has a top structure for aiding in transferring compressive forces between the bulkheads, and for storing tiedown gear, having a wide substantially horizontal metal plate chord joined centrally to, and extending MM /0 /742 M 1M6 v 3% mmn 2 M 9 6 9 no), 1 7 "m n m M m ml 1 In c "r "a e S .L C 5mm UI-F ll] 2 00 555 [ll [56] References Cited f, the top of the center beam, and a horizontal structural stiffening member joined to each UNITED STATES PATENTS the length 0 edge of the wide chord and extending the length of the center beam. The stiffening members project upwardly to define opposing walls of a trough having the wide chord as the bottom. The wide chord and stiffening members resist compressive and lateral forces applied thereto in use of the car.

n w 6 B9 525 o "0 l "1 ...............105/367 12/1964 Tomlinson............................105/367 Primary Examiner-Robert G. Sheridan Assistant Examiner- Richard Bertsch Attorney-Basil P. Mann, Clyde V. Erwin, Jr., Alvin 17 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures D. Shilman, Edward M. OToole, Allen I'I. Gerstein, Owen J. Murray, Donald E. Egan and Nate F. Scarpel- 1i PATENTED MAY 2 21975 sum 1 OF 3 Ross w. WAGNER PATENTED HAYZ 2 I973 SHEEf'E [1F 3 FIGS FIG. 4

INVENTOR 5 25 ROSS W.WAGNER WW 4 M, g

ATTORNEYS.

P T IE NAYZZIBYS 7 031 snai s 0F 3 FIGG INVENTOR ROSS W. WAGNER BY WW/ ATTORNEYS.

CENTER BEAM RAILROAD CAR This invention relates to railroad cars. More particularly, this invention is concerned with an improved railroad car related to the flat-bed type.

Many goods and products transported by railroads do not require enclosure and protection against the weather. Other products are of such size and shape as to render it impractical to ship them in enclosed box cars of the conventional roofed and walled type. The conventional railroad flat-bed car functions well for shipping such products and is thus widely used.

While railroad flat-bed cars have wide utility, the empty car weight constitutes an undesirably high proportion of the gross or total weight which can be borne by the car, based on the wheel and axle size, as prescribed by railroad standards. Since the maximum gross weight of a railroad car is fixed by such standards it is obvious that, if the empty weight of the car can be reduced without sacrificing strength or load carrying area and volume, its effective load carrying capacity can be increased and an economic advantage thereby achieved.

In order to provide a railroad car of increased load carrying capacity, which would meet railroad load standards, Frank Taylor in US. Pat. No. 3,244,120 issued Apr. 5, 1966, developed a special railroad car for carrying commodities such as lumber, pre-packaged plywood, gypsum board and boxed goods. The Taylor railroad car was of the open-bed type, except that instead of using conventional heavy weight center sills, as well as conventional heavy weight side sills, as normally required to adequately support the bed when loaded, he employed a lightweight center sill from which a longitudinal center beam extended vertically for the entire length of the car and terminated at lateral bulkheads at each end of the car. The longitudinal center beam divided the bed or floor of the car in half. The car could be loaded with goods such as lumber, plywood and boxes on each side of the center beam. The goods rested on the car bed, but was tilted slightly inwardly to lean against the center beam and thereby restrict sliding of the goods off the bed.

By using a center beam, Taylor envisioned an empty car weight, for a substantially larger car, no greater than the weight of a conventional smaller flatbed car without a center beam. The reduction in weight achieved by means of the center beam permitted construction of a larger car with increased load carrying volume over the volume of load which could be carried by a conventional flat car. This was particularly advantageous for bulky, comparatively low density material which occupied the load carrying volume of a railroad car but which gave a loaded car weight substantially less than permitted by railroad standards. By being able to build a larger car, with greater volume, without increasing the empty weight appreciably, a greater load could be carried and the railroad standards still be complied with. Of course, by using the principle on a smaller car, an empty weight reduction could be achieved thus permitting a greater load of heavy goods to be carried.

While actual experience has shown that the principle of the Taylor center beam railroad car is useful, it has been found that a different center beam structure is advisable, particularly in the top portion of the center beam. Under some operating conditions, the center beam had a tendency to develop a snake form when the car was loaded thus indicating that the developed forces were not totally resisted by the center beam in the manner intended. In addition, it was found that a need existed for storage of load tie-down gear, such as chains, cables and belts, on the car so that it would be available when needed.

There is accordingly provided by the subject invention an improved freight carrying railroad car of the center beam type having a center beam upper structure which can aid in resisting compressive forces when the car is loaded as well as lateral forces which could be applied or developed during use of the car. The upper structure of the center beam is constructed to resist lat eral forces applied to it developed by unbalanced loading of the car, such as when only one side of the car is highly loaded and the other side is empty or only slightly loaded. It is also constructed to resist lateral gravity forces applied to it which develop due to dynamic action when the car negotiates curves and during rock and roll action which can occur due to low rail joints combined with the critical speed to produce a resonance roll. In addition, the center beam upper structure provides integral storage troughs, compart ments or bins in which load retaining cables, belts, chains and clamps can be stored when not in use. The upper structure is also provided with brackets to which tie-down equipment can be permanently or removably connected.

In a specific embodiment of the subject invention there is provided an improved freight carrying railroad car of the center beam type having a lightweight center sill and lightweight side sills, cross-bearers joined at their inner ends to the center sill and outer ends to the side sills to support a floor or bed structure, and a vertical center beam joined at its bottom to the center sill and extending longitudinally the length of the car between bulkheads at each end of the car, said center beam having a top structure for aiding in transfering compressive forces between the bulkheads and for storing tie-down gear. The top structure has a substantially horizontal metal plate chord joined centrally to, and extending the length of, the top of the center beam, and a horizontal structural stiffening member joined to each edge of the wide chord and extending the length of the center beam, said stiffening members projecting upwardly to define opposing Walls of a trough having the wide chord as the bottom, said wide chord and stiffening members being capable of resisting compressive and lateral forces applied thereto in use of the car.

The described top structure advisably has a plurality of spaced apart supports which extend laterally from the center beam between the stiffening members and are joined thereto. The supports can be vertical or horizontal plates, or both, or structural members of other shapes, such as angles, bars, channels and tubes. However, advisably at least some of the supports are vertically positioned plates which are joined at their bottom to the wide chord and advisably at their ends to the stiffening members. The vertical plates advisably extend in height to near the top of the stiffening members and thus function as dividing walls spaced periodically in the trough defined by the wide chord as the bottom and the stiffening members as the side walls, thus dividing the trough into compartments or bins, which are open at the top, for storing tie-down gear.

The top structure can have, in a particular embodiment, a' vertically positioned plate extending upwardly from the top of the center beam, to any suitable height, and positioned longitudinally to the center beam from bulkhead to bulkhead. The vertical longitudinal plate serves to divide the trough into two longitudinal channels and keeps tie-down gear for one side of the car separate from the tie-down gear for the other side. The vertical plate, in addition, provides structural strength to the top structure.

The invention will now be described further in conjunction with the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an improved center beam railroad car according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and shows one-half of the center beam and floor structure of the railroad car;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of part of the center beam;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of part of the center beam;

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view through the center beam taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the center beam top structure.

So far as is practical, the same elements or parts which appear in the different views of the drawings will be identified by the same reference number.

With reference to FIG. 1, the center beam railroad car 10 has a floor structure 11 mounted on conventional wheel trucks at each end. Each end of the railroad car has a bulkhead 12 between which center beam 14 extends longitudinally in vertical or upright position.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, center beam 14 is supported on a lightweight center sill l5 constructed of two Z-shaped structural members 17 and a plate 16 joined, as by welding, to the bottom thereof. Extending laterally from each side of center sill are crossbearer members 18 joined at their ends to side sills 19. Floor plate 20 is mounted on the cross'bearers l8 and on top of the floor plate is positioned a series of tapered sleeper members 21 which, because of their inclined upper surface, tilt a load placed thereon towards center beam 14. Loops 23 are positioned periodically along side sills 19 to facilitate tying down a load placed on the railroad car.

Supported by, and mounted on center sill 15, is center beam 14. The vertical stem of center beam 14 has a central plate 25, of generally flat configuration, running for its entire length from one bulkhead to the other. Cut-outs 26 are advisably provided in plate to reduce weight and economize on material. The cutouts are conveniently made by cutting through a plate in a generally saw-tooth or gear-tooth path, moving the two pieces of the plate apart and shifting them laterally so that the ends of the teeth abut. The abutting edges can then be joined by welding and in this way cut-out areas achieved without waste of material and an increased plate height equal to the tooth depth achieved.

Plate 25 is reinforced by a pair of T-shaped members 27 and 28 identically shaped and placed opposite each other on each side of plate 25. The stem portions of T- shaped sections 27 and 28 are shorter at the top of the center beam than at the bottom. The stem of the members 27 and 28 is thus tapered so that when the members 27 and 28 are joined to plate 25, flanges 29 and a cut, two T-shaped members are formed and by turning one upside down a pair of suitable members is obtained which together can be used as members 27 and 28.

A pair of angle members 35 and 36 are placed on top,

respectively, of T-shaped members 27 and 28 with one such angle member being located on each side of plate 25. The angle members 35 and 36 extend for the full length of the center beam and terminate at the bulkheads.

The center beam has a top structure 40 which functions as a compressive member and as a storage facility for tie-down equipment when it is not in use. The top structure, in addition, contains various brackets to which tie-down belts, straps and chains can be connected.

The top structure 40 as shown in the drawings has a wide chord member 41 which is positioned substantially horizontal and which extends for the full distance between the bulkheads. The wide chord member, as shown in FIG. 5, is made of two separate plates 42 and 43 although it is within the scope of the invention to make the wide chord member of a single plate or other structural web member. The inner longitudinal edges of plates 42 and 43 are joined, such as by welding, respectively to the top surfaces of angle members 36 and 35. The plates 42 and 43 are each advisably tilted or sloped upwardly at a slight angle of about 10.

Plates 42 and 43 are advisably provided with cut-out areas 47 and 48 in order for water to drain out.

At the outer longitudinal edge of each of plate members 42 and 43 there is respectively positioned longitudinal stiffening members 44 and 45, which as shown in the specific embodiment of the drawings, comprise pipe or tubular elements. The stiffening members can be joined to plates 42 and 43 by welding. Each of the stiffening members advisably projects or extends upright a sufficient height to form outer longitudinal walls at the edges of the wide chord to thereby define a longitudinal substantially horizontal trough-like member which extends the distance between the bulkheads. The trough as so defined provides a storage space in which tie-down equipment can be placed when it is not in use, such as when the car is being transported empty from one location to another.

Longitudinally located, vertically positioned plate 46 extends upright from the top of the center beam 27 and serves to divide the trough formed ,by the stiffening members 44 and 45 and the wide chord 41 into two longitudinal channels. Vertical plate 46 can be a separate plate or it can be an extension of plate 25 forming part of center beam 27. Furthermore, plate 46 is advisably of such a height as to have its top longitudinal edge substantially level with the tops of stiffening members 44 and 45. Although not essential to the top structure of the center beam, plate 46 is advisably employed in order that the top structure may be adequately strengthened and also to provide an internal dividing wall in the trough so that the tie-down gear used on one side of the car can be maintained separate from the tiedown gear used on the other side of the car.

The top structure of the center beam is also advisably provided with a plurality of spaced apart supports positioned lateral to stiffening members 44 and 45. The supports may take several different forms and shapes, it being the purpose of such supports however to provide strengthening for the entire top structure and to give it sufficient ability to resist the forces to which it may be subjected during use of the car.

Vertically positioned spaced apart plates 49 and 50 are one form of lateral supports which can be used. They can be positioned opposite one another lateral to stiffening members 44 and 45 to strengthen the top structure of the center beam. Vertical plates 49 and 50 are advisably welded at their bottom edges to plates 42 and 43 and at their outer ends to stiffening members 44 and 45. The inner vertical edges of plates 49 and 50 can be welded to the adjacent sides of vertical plate 46.

A plurality of spaced apart horizontally positioned strip plates 51 can be also used to strengthen the top structure of the center beam. The strip plates 51 can be welded at their ends to stiffening members 44 and 45 and to the top edges of vertical plates 49 and 50 since the strip plates are advisably located immediately over such vertical plates.

It should be understood that it may not be necessary to use horizontal lateral strip plates 51 or vertical plates 49 and 50 or any other such laterally positioned sup ports. Both are advisably employed, however, in the specific top structure shown in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings.

lt will be readily appreciated from the above description as well as from the drawings that a plurality of compartments or bins are defined by the described top structure. For example a bin A has a bottom from plate 42, an inner wall from plate 46, an outer wall defined by stiffening member 44 and end walls defined by vertical plates 49. Similarly, compartment B has a bottom formed by plate 43, an inner wall defined by plate 46, an outer wall defined by stiffening member 45 and end walls defined by plates 50. It is to be understood that a series of similar compartments are located in end-toend position in the top structure of the center beam and thus provide open-top storage compartments for tiedown equipment. All of the compartments together comprise the trough previously mentioned.

To facilitate the use of tie-down equipment on the railroad car, a series of brackets are located at convenient localities. Thus, a pair of brackets 60 and 61 is located at the top of the structure. Each of these brackets is identical and has its ends respectively joined, as by welding, to angles 36 and 35 from which the brackets project upwardly, vertically and then continue in a horizontal manner over the top of laterally located strip plates 51 to which they may be joined by welding. The brackets 60 and 61 can be made of round bar steel stock. Additional brackets 62 are mounted to the top surfaces of strip plates 51. These brackets also can be made of round bar steel stock.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, additional brackets can be provided part way down the center beam to facilitate handling loads which do not reach close to the top of the center beam. Brackets 70 and 71 are made of round bar steel stock and are of identical construction. One end of bracket is mounted to the T-shaped member 27 and the other end is joined to a reinforcing plate 72 placed on the adjacent side of vertical plate 25. A similar reinforcing plate 73 is placed on the other side of vertical plate 25 to give added support and strength for mounting bracket 71.

While stifiening members 44 and 45 are shown made of pipe or tubing, they can also be made of angle, channel, T or I-shaped members.

The construction of bulkheads 12 is of conventional I design and therefore is not described in further detail. The important thing is that the bulkheads be sufficiently strong to transfer forces to center beam 14 without yielding excessively. In addition, the ends of the center beam and its top structure are joined to the bulkheads by conventional means.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. In a freight carrying railroad car having a lightweight center sill and side sills, cross-bearers joined at their inner ends to the center sill and outer ends to the side sill to support a floor structure and a vertical center beam joined at its bottom to the center sill and extending longitudinally the length of the car between bulkheads at each end of the car; the improvement comprising:

a center beam top structure for aiding in transferring compressive forces between the bulkheads and for storing tie-down gear having a wide substantially horizontal metal plate chord joined centrally to, and extending the length of, the top of the center beam; and

a horizontal structural stiffening member joined to each edge of the wide chord and extending the length of the center beam, said stiffening members projecting upwardly to define opposing walls of a trough having the wide chord as the bottom;

said wide chord and stiffening members being capable of resisting compressive and lateral forces applied thereto in use of the car.

2. A railroad car according to claim 1 in which a plurality of spaced apart supports extend laterally between the stiffening members and are joined thereto.

3. A railroad car according to claim 1 in which a plu-' rality of spaced apart vertically positioned plates extend laterally between the stiffening members and are joined to the top of the wide chord.

4. A railroad car according to claim 3 in which the vertically positioned plates extend in height to about the top of the stiffening members, and laterally positioned spaced apart horizontal strip plates extend between and are joined to stiffening members and the top of the vertically positioned plates.

5. A railroad car according to claim 1 in which a vertically positioned longitudinal plate extends between the bulkheads from the top of the center beam to a height near the top of the stiffening members.

6. A railroad car according to claim 5 in which a plurality of spaced apart vertically positioned plates extend laterally between, and are joined to, the stiffening members and the longitudinal vertical plate and are joined to the top of the wide chord.

7. In a freight-carrying railroad car having a lightweight center sill and side sills, cross-bearers joined at their inner ends to the center sill and outer ends to the side sill to support a floor structure and a vertical center beam joined at its bottom to the center sill and extending longitudinally the length of the car between bulkheads at each end of the car; the improvement comprising:

a center beam top structure for aiding in transferring compressive forces between the bulkheads and for storing tie-down gear having a wide substantially horizontal metal plate chord joined centrally to, and extending the length of, the top of the center beam;

a horizontal structural stiffening member joined to each edge of the wide chord and extending the length of the center beam, said stiffening members projecting upwardly to define opposing walls of a trough having the wide chord as the bottom;

said wide chord and stiffening members being capable of resisting compressive and lateral forces applied thereto in use of the car;

a vertically positioned longitudinal plate extending between the bulkheads from the top of the center beam to a height near the top of the stiffening members;

a plurality of spaced apart vertically positioned plates extending laterally between, and joined to, the stiffening members and the longitudinal vertical plate and joined to the top of the wide chord;

the said vertically positioned lateral plates extending in height to about the top of the stiffening members; and

laterally positioned spaced apart horizontal strip plates extending between and joined to the stiffening members and the top of the vertically positioned lateral plates.

8. In a freight carrying railroad car having a lightweight center sill and side sills, cross-bearers joined at their inner ends to the center sill and outer ends to the side sill to support a floor structure and a vertical center beam joined at its bottom to the center sill and extending longitudinally the length of the car between bulkheads at each end of the car; the improvement comprising:

a center beam top structure for aiding in transferring compressive forces between the bulkheads and for storing tie-down gear having a wide substantially horizontal metal plate chord joined centrally to, and extending the length of, the top of the center beam; and

a horizontal structural stiffening member joined to each edge of the wide chord and extending the length of the center beam, said stiffening members projecting upwardly to define opposing walls of a trough having the wide chord as the bottom;

said wide chord and stiffening members being capable of resisting compressive and lateral forces applied thereto in use of the car; and

tie-down brackets mounted on the top structure of the center beam.

9. In a freight carrying railroad car having a lightweight center sill and side sills, cross-bearers joined at their inner ends to the center sill and outer ends to the side sill to support a floor structure and a vertical center beam joined at its bottom to the center sill and extending longitudinally the length of the car between bulkheads at each end of the car; the improvement comprising:

a center beam top structure for aiding in transferring compressive forces between the bulkheads and for storing tie-down gear having a wide substantially horizontal metal plate chord joined centrally to, and extending the length of, the top of the center beam;

a horizontal structural stiffening member joined to each edge of the wide chord and extending the length of the center beam, said stiffening members projecting upwardly to define opposing walls of a trough having the wide chord as the bottom;

said wide chord and stiffening members being capable of resisting compressive and lateral forces applied thereto in use of the car;

a plurality of spaced apart vertically positioned plates extending laterally between the stiffening members and joined to the top of the wide chord;

the said vertically positioned plates extending in height to about the top of the stiffening members;

laterally positioned spaced apart horizontal strip plates extending between and joined to the stiffening members and to the top of the vertically positioned plates; and

tie-down brackets mounted to the horizontal strip plates.

10. In a freight carrying railroad car having a lightweight center sill and side sills, cross-bearers joined at their inner ends to the center sill and outer ends to the side sill to support a floor structure and a vertical center beam joined at its bottom to the center sill and extending longitudinally the length of the car between bulkheads at each end of the car; the improvement comprising: V

a center beam top structure for aiding in transferring compressive forces between the bulkheads and for storing tie-down gear having a wide substantially horizontal metal plate chord joined centrally to, and extending the length of, the top of the center beam;

a horizontal structural stiffening member joined to each edge of the wide chord and extending the length of the center beam, said stiffening members projecting upwardly to define opposing walls of a trough having the wide chord as the bottom;

said wide chord and stiffening members being capable of resisting compressive and lateral forces applied thereto in use of the car; and

said center beam having a vertical center plate the length of the car between the bulkheads, and spaced apart pairs of vertical tapered members, one on each side of the center plate opposite one another, for about the height of the center plate.

1 1. A railroad car according to claim 10 in which the vertical tapered members are T-shaped.

12. A railroad car according to claim 10 in which the vertical center plate and the vertically positioned longitudinal plate are integral to each other.

13. In an open roofless freight carrying railroad car having a lightweight center sill and side sills, crossbearers joined at their inner ends to the center sill and outer ends to the side sill to support a floor structure and a vertical center beam joined at its bottom to the center sill and extending longitudinally the length of the car between a bulkhead at each end of the car; the improvement comprising:

a center beam having a vertical center plate the length of the car between the bulkheads, and spaced apart pairs of vertical tapered members positioned along the center plate, one on each side of the center plate opposite one another, said vertical center plate having an upper portion extending above the height of the center plate;

a horizontal longitudinal member mounted on top of the tapered members on each side of the vertical center plate and extending the length of the center beam;

a wide substantially horizontal metal plate chord on each side of the vertical center plate extending the length of the center beam, with the inner edgeof each plate chord being joined to the horizontal longitudinal member;

a horizontal stiffening member joined to the outer edge of each wide plate chord and extending the length of the center beam, said stiffening members projecting upwardly to define outer walls of a pair of channels with the upper portion of the vertical center plate constituting a common inner wall and the wide chords constituting the bottoms of the channels;

said wide chords and stiffening members being capable of resisting compressive and lateral forces applied thereto in use of the car.

14. A railroad car according to claim 13 in which a plurality of spaced apart supports extend laterally between the stiffening members and are joined thereto and to the upper portion of the vertical center plate.

15. A railroad car according to claim 13 in which a plurality of spaced apart vertically positioned plates extend laterally from the stiffening members to the upper portion of the vertical center plate and are joined to the top of the wide chords.

16. A railroad car according to claim 15 in which the lateral vertical plates extend to about the top of the upper portion of the vertical center plate and to about the top of the stiffening members, and spaced apart horizontal strip plates are positioned on the top of the lateral vertical plates and extend between and are joined to the stiffening members.

17. A railroad car according to claim 13 in which the vertical tapered members are T-shaped and the stem portions of the T-shaped members are joined to the vertical center plate. 

1. In a freight carrying railroad car having a lightweight center sill and side sills, cross-bearers joined at their inner ends to the center sill and outer ends to the side sill to support a floor structure and a vertical center beam joined at its bottom to the center sill and extending longitudinally the length of the car between bulkheads at each end of the car; the improvement comprising: a center beam top structure for aiding in transferring compressive forces between the bulkheads and for storing tiedown gear having a wide substantially horizontal metal plate chord joined centrally to, and extending the length of, the top of the center beam; and a horizontal structural stiffening member joined to each edge of the wide chord and extending the length of the center beam, said stiffening members projecting upwardly to define opposing walls of a trough having the wide chord as the bottom; said wide chord and stiffening members being capable of resisting compressive and lateral forces applied thereto in use of the car.
 2. A railroad car according to claim 1 in which a plurality of spaced apart supports extend laterally between the stiffening members and are joined thereto.
 3. A railroad car according to claim 1 in which a plurality of spaced apart vertically positioned plates extend laterally between the stiffening members and are joined to the top of the wide chord.
 4. A railroad car according to claim 3 in which the vertically positioned plates extend in height to about the top of the stiffening members, and laterally positioned spaced apart horizontal strip plates extend between and are joined to stiffening members and the top of the vertically positioned plates.
 5. A railroad car according to claim 1 in which a vertically positioned longitudinal plate extends between the bulkheads from the top of the center beam to a height near the top of the stiffening members.
 6. A railroad car according to claim 5 in which a plurality of spaced apart vertically positioned plates extend laterally between, and are joined to, the stiffening members and the longitudinal vertical plate and are joined to the top of the wide chord.
 7. In a freight carrying railroad car having a lightweight center sill and side sills, cross-bearers joined at their inner ends to the center sill and outer ends to the side sill to support a floor structure and a vertical center beam joined at its bottom to the center sill and extending longitudinally the length of the car between bulkheads at each end of the car; the improvement comprising: a center beam top structure for aiding in transferring compressive forces between the bulkheads and for storing tie-down gear having a wide substantially horizontal metal plate chord joined centrally to, and extending the length of, the top of the center beam; a horizontal structural stiffening member joined to each edge of the wide chord and extending the length of the center beam, said stiffening members projecting upwardly to define opposing walls of a trough having the wide chord as the bottom; said wide chord and stiffening members being capable of resisting compressive and lateral forces applied thereto in use of the car; a vertically positioned longitudinal plate extending between the bulkheads from the top of the center beam to a height near the top of the stiffening members; a plurality of spaced apart vertically positioned plates extending laterally between, and joined to, the stiffening members and the longitudinal vertical plate and joined to the top of the wide chord; the said vertically positioned lateral plates extending in height to about the top of the stiffening members; and laterally positioned spaced apart horizontal strip plates extending between and joined to the stiffening members and the top of the vertically positioned lateral plates.
 8. In a freight carrying railroad car having a lightweight center sill and side sills, cross-bearers joined at their inner ends to the center sill and outer ends to the side sill to support a floor structure and a vertical center beam joined at its bottom to the center sill and extending longitudinally the length of the car between bulkheads at each end of the car; the improvement comprising: a center beam top structure for aiding in transferring compressive forces between the bulkheads and for storing tie-down gear having a wide substantially horizontal metal plate chord joined centrally to, and extending the length of, the top of the center beam; and a horizontal structural stiffening member joined to each edge of the wide chord and extending the length of the center beam, said stiffening members projecting upwardly to define opposing walls of a trough having the wide chord as the bottom; said wide chord and stiffening members being capable of resisting compressive and lateral forces applied thereto in use of the car; and tie-down brackets mounted on the top structure of the center beam.
 9. In a freight carrying railroad car having a lightweight center sill and side sills, cross-bearers joined at their inner ends to the center sill and outer ends to the side sill to support a floor structure and a vertical center beam joined at its bottom to the center sill and extending longitudinally the length of the car between bulkheads at each end of the car; the improvement comprising: a center beam top structure for aiding in transferring compressive forces between the bulkheads and for storing tie-down gear having a wide substantially horizontal metal plate chord joined centrally to, and extending the length of, the top of the center beam; a horizontal structural stiffening member joined to each edge of the wide chord and extending the length of the center beam, said stiffening members projecting upwardly to define opposing walls of a trough having the wide chord as the bottom; said wide chord and stiffening members being capable of resisting compressive and lateral forces applied thereto in use of the car; a plurality of spaced apart vertically positioned plates extending laterally between the stiffening members and joined to the top of the wide chord; the said vertically positioned plates extending in height to about the top of the stiffening members; laterally positioned spaced apart horizontal strip plates extending between and joined to the stiffening members and to the top of the vertically positioned plates; and tie-down brackets mounted to the horizontal strip plates.
 10. In a freight carrying railroad car having a lightweight center sill and side sills, cross-bearers joined at their inner ends to the center sill and outer ends to the side sill to support a floor structure and a vertical center beam joined at its bottom to the center sill and extending longitudinally the length of the car between bulkheads at each end of the car; the improvement comprising: a center beam top structure for aiding in transferring compressive forces between the bulkheads and for storing tie-down gear having a wide substantially horizontal metal plate chord joined centrally to, and extending the length of, the top of the center beam; a horizontal structural stiffening member joined to each edge of the wide chord and extending the length of the center beam, said stiffening members projecting upwardly to define opposing walls of a trough having the wide chord as the bottom; said wide chord and stiffening members being capable of resisting compressive and lateral forces applied thereto in use of the car; and said center beam having a vertical center plate the length of the car between the bulkheads, and spaced apart pairs of vertical tapered members, one on each side of the center plate opposite one another, for about the height of the center plate.
 11. A railroad car according to claim 10 in which the vertical Tapered members are T-shaped.
 12. A railroad car according to claim 10 in which the vertical center plate and the vertically positioned longitudinal plate are integral to each other.
 13. In an open roofless freight carrying railroad car having a lightweight center sill and side sills, cross-bearers joined at their inner ends to the center sill and outer ends to the side sill to support a floor structure and a vertical center beam joined at its bottom to the center sill and extending longitudinally the length of the car between a bulkhead at each end of the car; the improvement comprising: a center beam having a vertical center plate the length of the car between the bulkheads, and spaced apart pairs of vertical tapered members positioned along the center plate, one on each side of the center plate opposite one another, said vertical center plate having an upper portion extending above the height of the center plate; a horizontal longitudinal member mounted on top of the tapered members on each side of the vertical center plate and extending the length of the center beam; a wide substantially horizontal metal plate chord on each side of the vertical center plate extending the length of the center beam, with the inner edge of each plate chord being joined to the horizontal longitudinal member; a horizontal stiffening member joined to the outer edge of each wide plate chord and extending the length of the center beam, said stiffening members projecting upwardly to define outer walls of a pair of channels with the upper portion of the vertical center plate constituting a common inner wall and the wide chords constituting the bottoms of the channels; said wide chords and stiffening members being capable of resisting compressive and lateral forces applied thereto in use of the car.
 14. A railroad car according to claim 13 in which a plurality of spaced apart supports extend laterally between the stiffening members and are joined thereto and to the upper portion of the vertical center plate.
 15. A railroad car according to claim 13 in which a plurality of spaced apart vertically positioned plates extend laterally from the stiffening members to the upper portion of the vertical center plate and are joined to the top of the wide chords.
 16. A railroad car according to claim 15 in which the lateral vertical plates extend to about the top of the upper portion of the vertical center plate and to about the top of the stiffening members, and spaced apart horizontal strip plates are positioned on the top of the lateral vertical plates and extend between and are joined to the stiffening members.
 17. A railroad car according to claim 13 in which the vertical tapered members are T-shaped and the stem portions of the T-shaped members are joined to the vertical center plate. 